Untitled
by FunkyMonkey86
Summary: Sorry about the title, I don't know what to call it yet. Story should be better lol. Rated M to be safe, a Dorcas and James fanfic. Read it to find out more :  You know you want to ;
1. Chapter 1

**I don't really know where this story is going but I had a day off today and I've been thinking about writing something like this for a while so this seemed a good way to pass some time :D Plus who couldn't resist a vulnerable and needy James Dowland ;) Hope you like it :)**

Dorcas knelt down close to James and spoke softly to him. "I need to give you a bath now", she told him gently "are you going to be alright with that? we'll do it in private in my bedroom, I'll make sure nobody comes in" James could not meet her eyes but he nodded slowly. "Ok, everything's going to be alright", Dorcas said, kissing him reassuringly on the cheek. He still did not meet her gaze and Dorcas stared at him with pity in her eyes. She could see how embarrassed he was about the prospect of her giving him a bath but there was no other way around it. He was in no fit state to do it himself and he needed one. Truth be told Dorcas was a little unsure about it as well but she couldn't let James see that, she needed to be strong for him and be reassuring towards him, it was much more embarrassing for him after all. It was not really proper for a lady to strip and bathe a fully grown man like James who she did not know intimately but in this case it really was necessary. She supposed that she could have gotten Thomas to bathe him, perhaps even called Robert over from Lark Rise or Queenie, she had bought him up after all and would be more used to it. However, it was really too late for that now and with the possible exception of Queenie, Dorcas thought that in the long run James would be more comfortable with her than anyone else. He did seem to feel safe with her and she thought that once he got over his embarrassment, it would actually be a comfort for him.

Looking around her she noticed that Sydney, Minnie and Laura were still in the room, listening and watching the two of them quietly. James didn't really need an audience right now and it wasn't doing Sydney any good to see his father like this. Leaving James's side for a moment she went over and spoke quietly to the three of them. "Minnie could you please go and run a bath for Mr Dowland in my bedroom and Laura could you take Sydney into the other room and find something to entertain yourselves with for a while?" Laura and Minnie nodded and Dorcas thanked them and briefly hugged Sydney. The young boy looked very worried about his father. The three of them then left the room. Dorcas went back over and knelt down quietly next to James's chair again. She was going to have to find out how he had gotten into this state but now was not the time to ask. He did not say anything but his hand was lying on his knee so Dorcas reached out and placed her own hand gently on top of it. She fought back the urge to put her arms around him and hold him close.

**Only a short chapter, hope you enjoyed it, please review :) I'm going to continue with it anyway so you might as well lol =D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Another chapter. I have changed the rating to M to be safe. Alot of tenderness between Dorcas and James and a naked James in this chapter (I couldn't help myself lol) A naked, vulnerable and fragile James, poor baby... **

Dorcas sat quietly with James, watching him with worry and concern until Minnie came back into the room. She came over to them, "I've run a bath for Mr Dowland in your bedroom as you asked", she informed Dorcas, "is there anything else you would like me to do?" Dorcas smiled warmly at Minnie "No thankyou, that will be all for now, I will call you if there is anything else, you may go and join Laura and Sidney. Thankyou for getting the bath ready" She rubbed James's back gently as she spoke. Minnie left the room, leaving the two of them alone again. "Come on now", Dorcas told James, "there's a nice warm bath waiting for you, lets get you up." She helped him to stand up, supporting him carefully. He put his arm over her shoulders and leaned against her and she wrapped her arm tight around his waist. They slowly made their way out of the room. Climbing up the stairs was difficult and it was long and painstaking. Dorcas wished with all her heart that she could make it easier for James and actually carry him up the stairs but she wouldn't have been able to do it. She got him into her bedroom, sat him down on her bed and then closed the door to give them privacy. She looked around the room, Minnie had run the bath and left soap, a flannel and clean towels as well. The bath stood close to the fireplace and Minnie had also lit a fire. Dorcas smiled gratefully, that would help to keep James warmer, she would thank Minnie properly later.

She turned to James, knelt in front of him and smoothed her hand tenderly over his forehead, brushing his hair to one side. "Let's get you out of these clothes now, don't be frightened, I won't hurt you" The poor man looked terrified, he didn't want Dorcas to undress him and he was afraid. She unbuttoned his shirt slowly and slipped it off his shoulders, then put it to one side on the bed. She then removed his boots for him, she decided the rest would be easier if he was lying down. "Lie down for me for a moment", she told him gently and she helped him to lie back on the bed and set to work on his lower half. She unzipped his flies with careful and gentle fingers and began to pull his trousers down, he had not been wearing a belt. She made him lift his bottom off the bed for a moment until she had pulled them down to his knees. She removed them the rest of the way and then pulled off his socks too. Now he wore only his underpants and this was the really awkward part. Up to this part he had been silent, Dorcas reached to take hold of his underpants and James spoke for the first time, "Nooo…..", he murmured weakly, feebly trying to move her hand away. Dorcas grasped it and laid it back down on the bed. She understood how embarrassed he was and she felt deeply sorry for him but she had no choice, she must do this. "Yes", she replied gently but firmly, "I have to do this James", then more gently and softly, "I'm so sorry sweetheart, I really am, please forgive me, I know it's not nice" She took hold of his underpants again and gently pulled them down over his bottom and groin. She slipped them off completely and put them in the pile with his other clothes. He was now lying completely naked in front of her on her bed. She tried not to stare but all the same she couldn't stop her eyes from roaming over his body. She nearly gasped at what she saw. Even though she had been undressing him, this was the first time she had really looked at him and taken it all in. He had clearly been beaten by someone and beaten very badly. His whole body was covered in bruises, at various stages of healing, some of them in particular looked extremely painful.

Dorcas stared at him with deep sympathy, he must be in terrible pain right now, she realised. James started whimpering pitifully and Dorcas looked down at him, he had begun to shiver, he was getting cold. She suddenly felt a great surge of love for him and a desperate need to protect him. She leaned over him and cupped his face in her hands, speaking softly but passionately to him "Whoever hurt you like this is never going to hurt you again, you are safe here with me and I am going to look after you and protect you, I will not let anybody hurt you ever again James, I promise." James eyes met hers for the first time and Dorcas could see his pain in them. Pain, sadness, shyness, fear and need were all reflected there in his eyes as they stared directly into hers. What had happened to him, she wondered sadly. Who had hurt him like this and why? As they looked into each other's eyes James's eyes began to well up, Dorcas watched him for a moment wondering if the tears were about to fall, she had a feeling that he needed to have a good cry. She would be there for him and hold him if that was the case.

**Hope you liked it, thank you for reading :) Reviews welcome :) I know I'm inflicting pain on poor James but Dorcas is going to make it better for him. Just not sure how yet as not entirely sure where this story is going lol :) Chapters are likely to be in varying lengths as I tend to take a while writing them so I write a chunk and then post it and continue, otherwise I'd never get anything posted lol.**


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